Puerto Ricans Have Been Committing Suicide Nearly Every Day After Hurricane Maria, Report Shows

Source: Newsweek Magazine

PUERTO RICANS HAVE BEEN COMMITTING SUICIDE NEARLY EVERY DAY AFTER HURRICANE MARIA, A NEW REPORT SHOWS

BY MARIA PEREZ ON 1/13/18 AT 8:00 AM

The rate of suicide increased to nearly a suicide a day in Puerto Rico in November, according to a recent report released by The Commission for the Prevention of Suicide. At least 227 people committed suicide on the island last year, a 16 percent increase compared to 2016, according to the report released Tuesday from the commission, which is part of the Department of Health of Puerto Rico.

After Hurricane Maria, 26 people took their own lives in November, or nearly one person a day. The suicide report also found that 85 percent of suicides are committed by men, and 14 percent are committed by women. Many health specialists and doctors said the spike in suicides can be linked to the aftermath of the storm that struck the island on September 20 and the destruction of basic resources like food, water, electricity and housing.

“If someone is in a position where they do not have any electricity, water or a roof over their head, you’re going to either break and sometimes break to the point of committing suicide,” said Alicia Schwartz, a home care nurse from New York City, who volunteered in Puerto Rico through the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) union after Maria hit the island.“You can only live so much without the simple necessities of having a roof over your head.”

Dr. Kenira Thompson, who is in charge of providing mental health services at the Ponce Health Sciences University in Puerto Rico, said she has seen a rise in patients since the storm. “A lot of patients are presenting severe mental health issues since the storm and the number of patients in our clinic has increased dramatically,” said Thompson. “Not one person that has lived through the storm can't say they weren’t touched by what happened."

8. I can just imagine the sense of hopelessness for those poor people,

9. "Puerto Ricans have always felt that as a people when they are in a crisis, the American government

"Puerto Ricans have always felt that as a people when they are in a crisis, the American government will be there to help us. That has not happened. The response has been slow and terrible, and since [Hurricane Maria], we have felt alone and abandoned," said Carrasquillo.

It’s not just suicide. Locals are also dealing with other mental health issues, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Thompson said clinics like the one in Ponce are doing the best they can to provide mental health assistance for those that come forward, and are also helping them mentally prepare for the next hurricane season, which begins in June.

“Mental health issues will not stop, if you think about the next hurricane season will start again in six months. We will have chaos when the first storm is announced on the news. Hopefully, it's not another storm like Maria,” said Thompson.